Prompt: draft a conflicts of interest policy

A conflicts of interest policy sets out how trustees declare and handle competing interests, protecting the charity’s decisions. This prompt drafts a clear starter policy aligned with Charity Commission guidance — declaring interests, withdrawing from affected decisions, and handling trustee benefits. Trustees should review it against your governing document and adopt it.

What to paste in

Give the AI a picture of your board, any conflicts you can foresee, and what your governing document says about conflicts. It drafts a policy aligned with Commission guidance and flags where your own rules govern.

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What to check afterwards

Check the policy does not conflict with your governing document, which may set specific rules on conflicts and trustee benefits. Confirm the handling steps match Commission guidance, address trustee payments needing authority, and set up an actual conflicts register you keep current — not just a policy on a shelf.

Payments or benefits to a trustee or a connected person generally need specific authority from the governing document or the Charity Commission — declaring an interest does not by itself make a trustee benefit lawful (Source: Charity Commission CC29/CC11, accessed 9 July 2026; verified 11 Jul 2026).

Worked example

The illustrative example covers declaring, withdrawing and trustee benefits, with [CHECK GOVERNING DOCUMENT] flags where the charity’s own rules apply.

CharityIQ can draft a conflicts policy grounded in Commission guidance and flag where your governing document must be checked.